SunSen: Disney to test disposable DVDs in Orlando

[Sydney]

Walt Disney Co. is expanding trials of its self-destructing DVDs to Orlando and other Florida markets.

Disney's video unit, Buena Vista Home Entertainment, began testing the disposable, ez-D discs last September in four other states. A chemical on the discs reacts with the air, causing a slow deterioration that renders the discs unwatchable 48 hours after the package is opened.

Buena Vista Home Entertainment, which recently dropped the price of the discs from $6.99 to $5.99 -- is touting the advantages of recyclable DVDs over conventional video rentals -- mainly, that customers don't have to worry about late fees or the inconvenience of returning movies to a store.

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[Greg]

glad to see thus is FINALLY getting off the ground, i think there is real potential here, and its good to see disney taking part in technological advancements.

[Brian Noble]

One word: DivX.

[disneyman]

How wasteful. If this ever gets off the ground, it will waste millions, if not billions, of disks each year. I don't know why Disney wants to be the cause of something that, if successful, will be a horrible waste of resources.

[GreatAndoski]

One word: DivX.

people didn't like divx cause you had to hook up to a phone line & activate the disk, bla bla, and people didn't like the "big brother" feeling it had (the companies knew every movie you'd watched). this, on the other hand, has potential to work, as it's all contained within the disk.

[ShadowPhaizer]

How wasteful. If this ever gets off the ground, it will waste millions, if not billions, of disks each year. I don't know why Disney wants to be the cause of something that, if successful, will be a horrible waste of resources.

I agree. I've read elsewhere that they have just created a new way of encoding the audio tracks on Regular DVDs that will be much more enviormentally friendly. Apparently it will save tons of Drinking water.

That was in a piece claiming that Disney was all about the enviornment. Then, i read about this and it makes no sense..... It seems like they are taking a few steps back in the Enviornment department with these discs.

Especially since they use special chemicals that react when the disc hits open air. (I'm no chemist and i'm not too sure about the chemicals, but i do know that there will be tons of waste like disneyman said.)